


Brushed Our Hands Back in Time

by WobblyJellyfish



Category: Hot Wheels: Battle Force Five
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Canon timeline (sort of), M/M, Past Lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-07-05 03:48:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15855612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WobblyJellyfish/pseuds/WobblyJellyfish
Summary: Vert isn't sure how many times they've met. But now that they've met again, when they're in a team to protect the Earth, of all scenarios, he doesn't know what to do.





	1. One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go again.

He wasn’t sure how many times they’d met. At this point, Vert couldn’t even remember them all, and most of the ones he could remember were fractured and in the wrong order. There were so many memories from so many times and places and lives; from lifetimes they spent together to ones where they simply passed each other by, never to see one another again until next time.

The one thing Vert did remember about all of them is that he always recognised him by his eyes. Those soft, brown eyes that made his heart freeze each and every time they’d met.

For a while, Vert wasn’t even sure that this person existed. He’d yet to meet someone with those breath-taking eyes and had been convinced that his brain was playing tricks on him. That they were just bizarre dreams created from scenes from all those period dramas his mom had always been watching. And even if they _did_ exist, the likelihood that he’d ever find them was so astronomically small since he was all but confined to a small town in the middle of nowhere.

It hadn’t stopped him from hoping though.

After he’d left school he’d started writing down whatever he could remember. Initially, Vert had started so he’d have all the fragments in one place, but later he’d desperately started trying to find any connections; anything that could give him any sort of indication of who this person was and where to find him. But with only brown eyes to connect every version of him and the only first name he could recall being that of a previous sister of his own, there weren’t any clues Vert could possibly use.

He looked so different each time, but Vert just _knew_ it was the same person. The small boy covered in mud he’d met in the woods when they were both children. The tall, scruffy teenager hiding behind his hair and glasses on his first day at Vert’s school. The terrified young man who broke into his house in London to hide. And so many more that Vert can only remember glimpses of.

That ought to have been a clue in of itself, really.

Anything was possible.

***

To say that the last couple of days had been chaotic was a _huge_ understatement. Sure, it had probably been a questionable decision to drive into a mysterious cyclone in the middle of the salt flats. But to end up in another dimension, rescue an _alien_ , have said alien create an _entire base_ under his garage and recruit a team to help protect the Earth from _other aliens_ , and now have said team move in with him was definitely not something Vert had expected. To go from living on his own and working on cars all day to having to accommodate five new people upstairs (and an alien downstairs) and having to organise training sessions so they wouldn’t get totally wrecked every time they went into a battle zone was certainly a difficult adjustment.

Vert still wasn’t sure if this was going to work. Sage had specifically recruited the rest of the team, and they’d all managed to adjust and adapt just fine in their first mission despite only having their new vehicles for a few hours, but he’s not unconvinced that beginner’s luck had something to do with it. They’d come so close to losing Sage, and Kalus had even managed to get through to Earth. They needed to improve if they stood a chance at defeating the Sark and Vandals for good.

After spending the rest of the day getting to know each other better and having a brief, and admittedly not very serious, training session on the test track, Vert felt a bit better. But he couldn’t shake the fear when he tried to go to sleep, and, after nearly two hours of interchangeably staring at the ceiling and the wall, he got up and headed for the kitchen. Maybe a drink of water would help.

He was caught off guard when he found Zoom there, clearly having had the same idea. “Can’t sleep either?” Vert asked, catching Zoom by surprise.

“Yeah,” Zoom replied softly, and turned to face Vert. “Everything’s just so crazy now.” Vert just nodded and hummed in agreement, and then proceeded to stare at the floor. In his peripheral vision he noticed Zoom walking away from the sink toward him. “You okay?” he asked.

Vert sighed. “I don’t know how this is going to work,” he said quietly.

“Well, we survived our first mission,” Zoom said. When Vert didn’t look up, he put a hand on Vert’s shoulder and carried on. “Dude, relax. You totally kicked butt out there.” Vert huffed out a laugh. “We’ve got this. We can only get better from here, right?”

“Yeah, I suppose so.” Vert turned his head to look at Zoom, and just as he was about to thank him their eyes met and-

 _Oh no_.

It was like something had put his brain on pause. No matter how hard he tried, Vert just couldn’t move. He wasn’t even sure if he was breathing. All he could do was stare, completely transfixed by those brown eyes he knew so well.

Zoom, thankfully, didn’t seem to notice he was staring. “Well, goodnight,” he said, and left the kitchen before Vert managed to choke out a “goodnight” in response.

Once he heard he heard Zoom’s footsteps fall silent, Vert finally managed to release the breath he couldn’t stop himself from holding. Of course it had to be now; now that they were in a _team_ to prevent the destruction of the Earth, even though he’d been waiting for _years_. It wasn’t fair. And, as far as he could tell, Zoom was totally oblivious. 

Vert had no idea what to do. He could ask Zoom, but how could he just casually ask about _past lives_ and not sound totally crazy? And even if he did and he told Zoom everything he could remember, he had no idea how Zoom would react. If he freaked Zoom out, Vert could completely jeopardise the team dynamic, and if that happened they might as well kiss the Earth goodbye.

It was too late to think about this now. Vert sighed, got a glass of water and headed back to his room, ready to resume staring at the wall instead of going to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've loved this show basically forever and thought I'd finally show my appreciation. This is my first fic so I apologise if the dialogue is a bit wonky.
> 
> Kudos and comments are much appreciated!


	2. Two

_Oregon, October 1982_

Vert wasn’t sure what to make of the new student at first. Zoom was tall and slender, with a mop of dark hair that hung over his eyes, but each time Vert saw him throughout the day he just seemed to hide inside his oversized jacket and behind his hair and glasses in a desperate attempt to hide from everyone. If anything, it was having the complete opposite effect on Vert. Ever since homeroom that morning, Vert had found himself unable to focus on anything else if Zoom was anywhere near him. He wasn’t even sure if he’d learned anything during last period, the only lesson they had together that day, as every time he tried to pay attention he just ended up staring at Zoom on the other side of the room instead.

So of course the moment he managed to force his attention away from Zoom so he could pack his bag was when Zoom, seemingly out of nowhere, approached him and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. “Hey,” Vert said. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, um,” Zoom said quietly, fidgeting with his jacket sleeves and staring at Vert’s desk. “Since I’m, um, behind, because I just moved here, I was wondering if you’d, um, tutor me or something, to help me catch up?”

Vert was so taken aback by the question that all he could do was just blink at Zoom for a few seconds. There were plenty of better students he could have asked; why was he asking him for help? “It’s fine if you don’t-” Zoom began, but Vert cut him off.

“No, it’s fine. I’d be glad to help,” he said. Zoom met his gaze then and gave a small smile, and that’s when Vert realised why he’d been so drawn to him since he’d walked through the door that morning.

As they walked home together, they decided that Vert would go over to Zoom’s house on Saturdays and after school on Wednesdays to help him catch up on all the eleventh grade work he’d missed in his month’s absence. And, as luck would have it, his house was just a five minute walk around the corner from Vert’s. Vert wasn’t sure if the universe was doing him a favour or if he was being punished.

The more they talked, Vert noticed that Zoom was starting to relax a bit. His shoulders weren’t as tense, he wasn’t mumbling as much, and he seemed to sound a little surer of himself. Zoom mentioned that his family had moved from Montana, though his two older brothers were in other states either for college or work. Vert responded with how he’d lived in Oregon his whole life, and that his sister, Sara, was unfortunately younger so he still had to live with her, earning a soft chuckle from Zoom.

“Thanks, again,” Zoom said as they reached his house. “For helping me out.”

“No problem,” Vert replied. “See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, see ya.” With that, Zoom headed up to his house, and only after he went inside and shut the door did Vert continue on to his own house, trying not to think about the warmth in his chest or the blush in his cheeks.

***

It had been little over a month since the formation of Battle Force 5. Thanks to regular training both on the track and in a few of the battle zones they’d already secured, they were getting a little better at securing zones without any issues. More importantly, they were functioning like a _team_. And even though he got along with all of them, Vert couldn’t help but focus most of his attention onto Zoom. 

Since he couldn’t remember any past names, Vert had started using Zoom’s name for any of the versions of him he’d met before. But, while he was only doing it for convenience, referring to all of them as _Zoom_ just didn’t feel _right_. Zoom wasn’t like any of the ones Vert had met before; Zoom was _different_.

And he didn’t know how to feel about it.

Ever since he’d realised who Zoom was, Vert just couldn’t help but be drawn to him. Even during training sessions and missions, his gaze would always wander over to the Chopper, keeping an eye out and making sure Zoom stayed out of harm’s way. And whenever he was talking to Zoom alone, Vert felt his chest tighten and seemed to need to put in more effort just to speak, even more so when their eyes met. But he didn’t know _why_.

Usually, training and fighting helped keep his mind off it. But today had been one of the bad days. Vert _knew_ he shouldn’t have let Zoom take on the Vandals on his own, especially since he’d only wanted to in order to prove himself. Nonetheless, he’d needed to make a split-second decision and had let him stay, and Zoom had gotten captured. If that, coupled with fighting the Vandals to save him on a pass that could have collapsed at any second, hadn’t been bad enough, Zoom had been dragged off the pass with Kalus as his chariot fell down to the crystal shards below.

Seeing Zoom disappear over the edge had made Vert almost physically _sick_. Even after they’d managed to pull him back up and make it back to Earth, he didn’t feel normal again until over an hour afterwards, when Sage had finished checking over Zoom and Zoom had told him he was fine and to stop worrying. 

Vert had no idea _why_ he was worrying so much. Why did seeing Zoom fall from pass affect him this much? Surely he’d have been just as concerned if anyone else had fallen?

And, more importantly, was he only feeling this way because he remembered all of their past encounters?

He needed more time to think about it. After all, Vert had only known Zoom for a few weeks; it was entirely possible he really _was_ only behaving strangely around him because of everything he remembered, and after a while he’d get used to it and start acting normally. For now, though, Vert focused instead on Zoom on the ‘stage’ at Zeke’s, trying to stop himself from crying as he, the team and the entire diner howled with laughter, and ignored the faint and familiar warmth in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are muchly appreciated!


	3. Three

_London, 1847_

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Zoom was still fidgeting with the coat, trying not to make it look bigger than it already was on him.

“Of course,” Vert said, taking hold of Zoom’s arms to stop him from fidgeting. “Just be confident and look the part. You will be fine.” Zoom nodded, and the pair of them headed into the station.

Paddington was a lot bigger and a lot busier than Vert remembered. He had to keep turning around to make sure Zoom hadn’t been carried off in another direction with the crowd, or worse. Zoom, despite trying to look as confident as he could, still looked nervous, desperately weaving through the crowds to keep up, also looking over his shoulder every minute or so. Not that Vert blamed him.

Vert hoped his spare clothes didn’t look _too_ big on Zoom to draw attention, and that his glasses and hat were enough to work as a disguise until they were on the train. The last thing they needed was for Zoom to be recognised, especially since they’d managed to get all the way to Paddington without being noticed.

Eventually they navigated their way to the platform, where passengers were already starting to board the train. Just as he was about to climb aboard himself, Vert noticed Zoom had stopped, his wide eyes scanning up and down the train in wonder. Vert let out a soft laugh. “You’ve never been on a train before, have you?” he asked, to which Zoom just shook his head slowly before following Vert into the carriage. The expression on his face didn’t waver as they walked through to find their seats, as Zoom seemed to make a point of observing every single detail, from the carpet to the lights to the compartments they walked past before settling into their own. Vert couldn’t help but find it a little charming.

“Make sure to lean away from the window until we’ve left the station,” Vert said as they sat down. “I’ll tell you if they’re heading this way, and you put your head down so it's under the window and they can’t see you.”

“Alright,” Zoom said. He sighed and sank back in his seat.

“What is it?” Vert asked.

Zoom sighed again. “You still haven’t told me why you’re helping me. You don’t even know what I have been accused of.”

Vert leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees and looked Zoom straight in the eye. “I am helping you because, unlike the police, I believed you when you claimed you are innocent. I still do.” Zoom smiled then, and Vert smiled back.

The clock on the platform ticked over to half past nine, and the train jolted as it began to pull away from Paddington. Zoom sunk even lower in his seat while Vert peered out of the window, making sure there weren’t any policemen who could spot them. After ten minutes, when they were finally clear of Paddington and of any chance of being spotted, Vert signalled to Zoom that he could stop hiding, and almost immediately Zoom sprung forward in his seat, eyes wide once again as he stared at the scenery as they sped past.

In a few hours, they would be in the cottage in Dartmoor. In a few hours, Zoom would be far away from London, and he would be safe.

And Vert intended to keep it that way.

***

Vandal was going to pay for this one. Vert had already decided that if, god forbid, they didn’t make it back in time, he was getting straight in the Mobi and going to steamroll the entire stronghold. Starting with Hatch and his laboratory.

As soon as they were clear of the stronghold and near enough to where they’d left their cars, Vert leapt out of the Vandal vehicle before Agura had even fully stopped, ran and snatched the plant out of Sherman’s hands before throwing himself into the Saber and speeding back to Earth. His foot didn’t even touch the brake until he was back in the Hub. He wasn’t even sure he was fully focused when he rushed to give the plant to Sage, that his body was on autopilot as all he could think about was that _he couldn’t lose Zoom_. He just hovered over Zoom as Sage injected the antidote, hoping and praying to whatever forces were out there in the Multiverse that he would wake up.

When he heard the monitor flatline, Vert was pretty sure his heart stopped too.

It wasn’t fair. Vert had _finally_ gotten to know Zoom, to know who he was this time around, and now he was gone. He couldn’t hear his jokes anymore, his mischievous laugh over the comm, get to see his head tilt ever so slightly when he was confused, his face, his voice–

He was so drowned in his own thoughts he didn’t even hear the monitor begin to beep again. He wasn’t even sure it was really Zoom’s voice and that he hadn’t imagined it. But he rushed back to Zoom anyway, and focused his entire _being_ on listening to him.

“Pizza.”

It was faint and hushed, but _there_. Zoom was awake and talking and _alive_. “He said pizza!” He could hardly believe it as he said it, and the cheers from the team, and Stanford’s ranting over Vandal, provided a decent distraction from the familiar tightness in his chest.

After everyone else had left the infirmary, Vert insisted on staying and keeping an eye on Zoom, despite his protests that he was fine. “You don’t have to watch me round the clock, dude,” he said. “Sage said she’s only keeping me here overnight as a precaution, and I feel fine.”

“I know, but,” Vert began, then sighed. “You almost _died_.”

Zoom tilted his head, and Vert knew he wasn’t going to get away with that answer. “That’s not all of it though,” Zoom said. “Come on, man. You can tell me.”

Vert sighed again, and sat down in the chair next to Zoom’s bed. “I know you’re fine now, but I don’t know what we’d have done if you’d died,” he said quietly. After a pause, he added, even quieter, “I don’t know what _I_ would have done.”

He stared at his lap; he couldn’t look at Zoom because if he did he knew Zoom would see right through him and then he’d have to answer questions he couldn’t even answer himself. A long silence hung in the air, until he heard Zoom shift on the bed, and saw him pulling himself up to sit out of the corner of his eyes.

“But I didn’t die,” Zoom said, and Vert finally felt brave enough to look at him. “I’m still here, dude. You guys saved me. And after I get out of here we can go back to kicking Vandal and Sark ass, right?”

Vert laughed. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right,” he said. Zoom grinned at him, so much so that his eyes crinkled at the corners and his dimples were showing, and it was as if Vert’s brain short-circuited. He couldn’t move, couldn’t _breathe_ , and he could feel the burning in his cheeks, and was sure he was getting closer and closer to the colour of his battle suit for every second he was frozen. It wasn’t until he noticed the similar blush on Zoom’s face that he realised that he’d been staring, and forced himself to look away. “It’s getting late,” Vert said, and stood up. “Sage said it’s important to rest, so I’ll let you sleep. See you in the morning.”

A strange look flashed across Zoom’s face. He looked confused, and…hurt? “Oh, okay,” he said, and Vert tried not to wince. He sounded a little hurt too. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Vert replied, and headed out of the infirmary to the lift. 

He was still blushing when he got to his room. And when couldn’t shake Zoom’s smile from his mind when he tried to go to sleep, Vert knew he couldn’t deny it any more. He definitely had feelings for Zoom.

The only question now was whether he felt that way about _Zoom_ , or if it was because of the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make my day!


	4. Four

_Unknown, 1300s_

He wasn’t surprised to find Zoom by the creek. “Is everything alright?” Vert asked, and Zoom jumped.

“It’s nothing,” he said. Zoom gestured for Vert to sit on the grass next to him, and when he did, Zoom sighed and slumped so that he was leaning against Vert and his head was on Vert’s shoulder. “I just needed to get away from everyone for a while.” Vert hummed in response and rested his head on Zoom’s. Their families could do just fine without them for a while; it wasn’t as if the crops were going to suddenly wither and die if they weren’t there to watch them every second of the day.

They sat there together for what felt like hours. For the most part, they sat in companionable silence, just listening to the breeze in the grass and the rush of the water and the birdsong in the trees. It had been months since they’d last had proper time for themselves, and it felt like they’d spent less and less time together each passing year. Zoom and his family had been especially overworked recently, and Vert wasn’t at all surprised when he heard Zoom’s breathing level out as he fell asleep on his shoulder. 

While Zoom slept, Vert watched the steady flow of the water, spotting the occasional fish or piece of driftwood. He had been looking for fish in the creek all those years ago, when they were both young children, and he’d spotted Zoom, covered in mud and sitting in one of the trees. As there weren’t any other children in the village their own age, they’d become friends almost instantly, and had been ever since. From chasing each other through the woods and splashing each other in the creek as children, to helping each other’s families throughout harvest time as young adults, Vert couldn’t remember a time where they’d ever been properly apart.

He wasn’t sure what he’d do if they ever were separated.

As the sun started to set, Vert nudged Zoom gently to wake him up. “The sun is going down,” he said. “We should go back.” There was a soft grumble from Zoom, before he lifted his head and stretched his arms.

“Alright,” Zoom said, yawning and slowly blinking his sleep-heavy eyes. He stood up and stretched again, soaking in the sunshine. Vert couldn’t help but stare at how the light of the setting sun lit up his face, casting it in a golden glow. Zoom extended his hand to help Vert up, and, upon seeing the expression on Vert’s face, tilted his head.

“We,” Vert paused, not sure how to phrase what he wanted to say. “We’re…never going to let anything separate us, right?”

Zoom looked at him with wide eyes, then laughed. “Of course not,” he said. “We’re always going to be here for each other. Nothing is going to change that. Not ever.”

Vert grinned, took Zoom’s hand, and the two of them headed back home, side by side the whole way.

***

Whilst the past few months had proven that there was no telling what the Multiverse could throw at them, Vert still wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of _purple_ attacking his vision. The different shades of the sky, the trees and the rocks and cliffs were making him dizzy, and the rest of the team seemed to be struggling too.

Well, everyone apart from Stanford, who seemed to be using the Reverb’s newfound camouflage to his advantage. Half the time Vert only knew where he was by the sound of the sonic cannons and watching wrecked Sark vehicles being scattered all over the place.

Unfortunately, Zemerik wasn’t having as much trouble as they were. “We have to stop him,” Vert muttered, then added, over the comm, “Battle Force Five, anyone got a lock on the key?”

“It’s west, not too far from here,” Sherman said. “Looks like it’s elevated, though. Possibly on top of some kind of structure.”

“I’m on it!” Agura declared, and within seconds the Tangler was off after the key, immediately flanked by the Reverb. 

Just as Vert prepared to join them, he noticed Zemerik approaching fast behind them. “You guys go on ahead,” he said, and whipped the Saber around. “I’ll hold off Zemerik.”

“Are you sure?” Vert didn’t need to look to know that Zoom had turned around to follow him. And while he didn’t want to start an argument, he really didn’t want Zoom to get involved.

He wanted Zoom to be safe.

“Zoom, go with everyone else,” he said, trying to sound stern but fully aware of the slight crack in his voice. “I’ve g–”

Vert had been so fixated on trying to get Zoom to safety that he’d lost focus of his own surroundings, not realising that Zug had been heading straight toward him until the Zendrill rammed the Saber side on, sending him flying into a nearby rockpile.

He didn’t really register Zoom crying out his name, or Zemerik cackling as he sped past. All Vert could really think about was that the Saber was lodged sideways amongst a load of plum-coloured boulders, and that his head really, _really_ hurt.

“Vert!” He slowly looked up to see Zoom, helmet at his feet, kneeling by the Saber and looking at him fretfully. Vert opened the roof and all but fell into Zoom’s lap, muttering a soft “ow.”

Zoom took hold of Vert’s upper arms, and helped him stand up. “Are you okay?” Zoom asked.

Vert clutched his head and groaned. “I’m–” he began, but any response he’d prepared died on his tongue when he looked at Zoom, who was still clinging to his arms and looking up at him with such concern in his eyes. He could feel his face burning, and he could see Zoom’s cheeks were turning red too. There was a moment where Vert noticed the expression on Zoom’s face change, and was vaguely aware of the shift of grip on his arms, with Zoom’s hands moving up to his shoulders. He could hardly breathe. His head was spinning and, even though everything was slightly fuzzy, he could swear Zoom was edging closer ever so slightly, and so was he.

“I’ve got the key, guys!” They flew apart upon hearing Agura’s voice over Zoom’s helmet comm, and Zoom picked his helmet back up while Vert clutched his head again and tried to focus on breathing normally.

“We’ll catch up to you guys in a sec,” Zoom said, then turned to Vert. “Are you okay to drive, dude?”

“Yeah,” Vert said, his voice less steady than he intended. “I should be fine ‘til we get back. Just need to get the Saber out of here.”

“Okay,” Zoom said. “We’ll be home and having Sage check you over in no time. I’ve got your back, man.” Vert just nodded as they went over to salvage the Saber, knowing Zoom meant every word, and desperately tried not to blush again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are lovely and much appreciated!


	5. Five

_Oregon, December 1982_

“Where are you going?” Vert asked, just as Sara opened the door in what looked like an attempt to sneak out.

She groaned and rolled her eyes. “I’m just going to a friend’s house, it’s not a big deal,” she droned. Vert raised an eyebrow at her. “ _Relax_. I’ll be back _way_ before mom and dad get home.”

Vert sighed. “Fine. But don’t be out too long, okay?” he said.

“Sure thing, _pops_ ,” Sara retorted. “Anyway, you’ve got the house to yourself. Invite Zoom over or something if you think you’re gonna be super bored without me.” Vert snorted, and Sara threw something at him, which he caught one-handed in mid-air. “You can thank me later,” she said, smirking, and left the house. Vert shook his head, then opened his hand to see what she’d thrown.

Mistletoe. _Of course_.

After almost an hour of debating it in his head and pacing around the living room, Vert ended up calling Zoom to invite him over. He tried not to think about how much effort he’d needed to put into keeping his voice level over the phone, and he _definitely_ didn’t feel his heart jump into his throat when he opened the front door to greet Zoom, who was staring at the ground and lightly scuffing his foot against the doormat. “Hi,” Vert said, not focusing on the breathlessness in his tone.

“Hey,” Zoom said quietly, and followed Vert inside. Zoom’s glasses were a little fogged and his face was flushed from the cold, and Vert tried to hide the blush on his own face when Zoom gently shook out a few snowflakes from his hair. The oversized red jumper he was wearing certainly didn’t add to the fact that Vert already thought he was cute, and that he had done since the first time he’d gone over to Zoom’s house to help with schoolwork.

Not at all.

“So where’s the rest of your family?” Zoom asked, absently looking at the Christmas decorations adorning the walls as they both settled on the sofa.

“Mom and dad are at a Christmas party for mom’s work,” Vert said. He flicked through a few tv stations, and eventually decided on one showing a rerun of _Kojak_. “Sara’s gone to see a friend. I hope. You know what she’s like.” Zoom giggled. Vert felt his breath catch, but didn’t focus too much on it. “You hungry?” he asked. “We could order a pizza or something, since none of my family’s gonna be back for a while.”

Zoom looked away and started fiddling with his sleeves, which Vert had come to recognise as a sign that Zoom was especially nervous about something. “Actually, I–” he stopped, and pulled his knees up so that he was hugging his legs. “I can’t stay too long. I’ve got to get home and pack.”

“Pack?” Vert asked, tilting his head.

“We’re going to spend Christmas at my brother’s in Boston. We’re flying out early tomorrow,” Zoom said quietly, then paused. “I would have said something sooner, but my parents only told me this morning. I’m sorry.”

Vert felt his stomach drop. He had no reason to be so upset; Zoom was only going to be gone for just over a week _at most_. It wasn’t like Zoom was leaving for good and he was never going to see him again.

And yet the prospect of being separated from Zoom, even for such a short amount of time, was enough to make his blood freeze and his heart hurt.

“I can try and call, though,” Zoom said, barely above a whisper but enough to catch Vert’s attention.

He couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Zoom replied, with an equally large grin, and suddenly Vert’s chest didn’t hurt as much.

They ended up staying on the sofa for the hour or so Zoom was there, just chatting about everything and nothing. Vert knew he didn’t stop grinning, and he was pretty sure Zoom didn’t either, even when Zoom got up to get ready to leave.

As Zoom put on his coat, a strange look flashed across his face and he suddenly began rooting inside one of his coat pockets. Before Vert could ask, Zoom had his hand outstretched, handing him a small, red envelope. “I got you something,” he said hurriedly, and Vert was caught so off guard that he could only stare at Zoom’s hand. “I’m sorry if it’s weird,” Zoom added suddenly. “I mean, I know we haven’t known each other long, but I thought I’d–”

“No, no,” Vert cut in, before Zoom could carry on rambling. “Thank you.” He took the envelope, then sighed.

“What?” Zoom asked, tilting his head slightly.

“I just wish I’d gotten you…” Vert trailed off. Then he remembered something. “Here!” he said, digging into his pocket and handed over the mistletoe. “I know it’s not much, and it’s kinda dumb, but I hope it’s okay.”

He could only stare at how rapidly the blush spread across Zoom’s face as he wordlessly reached out to take the mistletoe. When Zoom’s fingers brushed against his, he felt _sparks_ on his skin, and when his gaze met Zoom’s he just _couldn’t look away_.

“Thank you,” Zoom breathed, and, just like that, the spell was broken, even though both of their faces were still flushed. “Merry Christmas, Vert.”

“Merry Christmas, Zoom,” Vert replied, his voice hushed.

After Zoom left, Vert sat back down on the sofa, and, after turning it over in his hands a few times, opened the envelope to reveal a small Christmas card, decorated simply with a penguin wearing a scarf. With trembling hands, he opened the card.

_To Vert,_  
_Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year._  
_From_  
_Zoom_

He didn’t care how simple it was. Vert read it over and over again, and smiled so wide his face hurt.

He didn’t stop smiling for the rest of the evening.

***

Vert had decided that, for reasons he couldn’t even think about understanding, the Multiverse _really_ had it out for Zoom. First being captured, then poisoned, and now being tracked down by someone from his past who was determined to bring him back home.

No, back to the Order. Zoom’s home was _here_. Here in Utah with _the team_ , with _him_. At least Vert considered it to be. He hoped Zoom did too.

But Zen wouldn’t take no for an answer, and had followed them into a battle zone, where they’d already had to worry about the Vandals and volatile anti-matter beams that could obliterate them in a blink of an eye. And while Zen had proven to be a valuable asset, his presence hadn’t helped to soothe Vert’s anxieties about Zoom potentially leaving.

When they all gathered in the garage to see Zen off, Vert could feel the knots in his stomach and tension in his shoulders get even worse. He thanked Zen for his help, and, just as he thought everything would be fine and return to normal, Zoom said the one thing he’d been dreading all afternoon.

“I’m going with him.”

Vert had to physically force himself to stay still and not just run to Zoom. He couldn’t leave the team, couldn’t leave _him_. Not now. Not after everything they’d gone through for the past four months. In a haze of desperation, Vert seriously considered telling Zoom everything; how the team needed him here, how _he_ needed him here, how he felt, and had felt ever since Zoom had woken up after being poisoned, just _anything_ that might to get Zoom to stay.

Thankfully, he didn’t need to. “Actually, Zoom, your place and responsibilities lie here,” Zen said. “I now understand that you have been chosen for a higher calling.”

Zoom tilted his head. “You mean… I get to stay here and kick Vandal and Sark butt?” he asked.

“You must promise me you will stay here and kick Vandal and Sark butt.”

Zoom was staying. Vert let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. He felt the tension melt out from his shoulders, and when Stanford wandered out with his head shaved and begged to go with Zen, he could feel the worry dissipate completely as he and the team filled the garage with howls of laughter.

That night, after he’d finished working on a few of the cars in the garage, Vert headed upstairs to go to bed, and was surprised to see that the door to the roof was open. Curious, he went up to see who was there, and was met with the sight of Zoom, with his back to him, hugging his legs and resting his chin on his knees. Despite his heart jumping into his throat, he continued up onto the roof.

“Zoom?” he asked.

Zoom turned his head, but didn’t look at him. “Hey, Vert,” he said.

“How come you’re up here?” Vert asked, and sat down next to him.

Zoom let out a small huff, and rested his chin on his knees again. “I don’t know,” he said quietly, and sighed. “I mean, I _wanted_ to stay, and I don’t regret not going with Zen, but…” He paused, his lips twisting slightly as he thought about what he wanted to say. Vert ignored how his heart skipped a beat. “I don’t know if I made the right choice.”

All Vert wanted to do then was take Zoom in his arms, to hug him and tell him just how glad he is that Zoom decided to stay here with him. Instead, he looked out at the desert, and said, “well, I’m glad you stayed. We need you here, Zoom. The team wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“You think?”

“Of course.” Vert turned to look at Zoom, and swore all the air left his lungs, because as much as he tried he just couldn’t breathe. Zoom was smiling at him, cheek squashed slightly against his knee, and his hair cast in a silver glow from the moonlight. And while Vert was completely captivated, he came to a sudden realisation.

Not at any point, not even once, had Vert been worried about Zoom leaving because of how many times he’d lost him in the past. He had only ever worried about _Zoom_ leaving him _now_. He had only been worried about _Zoom_ leaving, without ever telling him how he felt.

He had been worried about _Zoom_ leaving _him_ , without telling him how completely and irrevocably in love with him he was.

Vert desperately wanted to make his voice work, to say _anything_ , but Zoom beat him to it. “Thanks,” he said, still smiling, before getting to his feet and stretching. “It’s late. We should probably go to bed.”

Vert tried to hide his blush at that. “Yeah,” he said, his voice hoarser than he’d expected. “Got a war to win, right?”

“Right,” Zoom said, his smile turning into a grin, and gave a thumbs up before heading to the roof door.

Vert followed suit, ignoring how he could feel the flush spreading from his cheeks to his neck and the tips of his ears. He knew should probably tell Zoom at some point, in case he really _did_ leave. For now, Vert just focused on Zoom’s smile as he said goodnight and how it lit up his face, and that he wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the Multiverse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always lovely and appreciated!


	6. Six

_Dartmoor, January 1848_

The turn of the New Year had seemingly brought the full force of winter with it, as, when Vert woke up the following morning, the hills were completely blanketed in snow, with snowflakes still gracefully floating down. Snow had always been an inconvenience in London, so it was nice to finally be somewhere where he could enjoy it. Zoom also seemed fascinated by the snow, as he was so fixated on looking out of the window during breakfast he stopped mid-action several times and Vert had to get him to focus.

He couldn’t really blame Zoom, though. They’d been living in his cottage for nearly a year, and, despite the fact there were no other people until the village half an hour away, Zoom hardly ever went outside, out of fear that somebody, somehow, would recognise him. And even though he’d imposed it on himself, Vert could tell that Zoom would start to get stir crazy from staying inside all the time, and start doing _anything_ that would stop him from being bored, from systematically dusting the house twice over in a day, to sitting in Vert’s study with him while he was trying (and failing) to write and insistently barraging him with questions about everything under the sun.

Not that Vert minded, of course.

Every so often he’d managed to convince Zoom that it was indeed safe to go outside, and they’d end up spending _hours_ wandering through the hills. It was nice to be away from the city, away from the crowds and the pressure from his publisher and his family, and to just _breathe_. It was also during their walks through the countryside that Vert realised just how _lonely_ he’d been in London. He’d been on his own for such a long time, and now that he had someone to live with, to talk to, he couldn’t ever imagine going back to that.

After another hour of seeing Zoom stare longingly at the snow, Vert sighed, and headed upstairs. He’d bought Zoom clothes not too long after they’d arrived, but had yet to get him any kind of winter coat, since the weather up to now hadn’t really required one. Vert opened the door to his bedroom and sifted through the wardrobe for his spare coat. He knew it would be too big and that it was a bit worn, but until he could go to the village to get one specifically for Zoom, it would have to do.

Zoom was still by the window when Vert went back downstairs, coat tucked under his arm. “You are aware,” Vert said, catching Zoom’s attention, “that if you want to go out, all you have to do is ask?” He approached Zoom and handed him the coat.

Zoom just stared at the coat with wide eyes. “Are you sure?” he asked, and, for the first time, Vert was caught off guard by the question. For once, Zoom seemed to be asking if he was _allowed_ outside, rather than if it was safe. _‘Strange,’_ Vert thought, but didn’t press.

“Of course,” Vert said. “It would be a shame to let all of this snow go to waste. And we don’t have to go far, if you are still worried.”

Zoom didn’t say anything. He just snatched the coat out of Vert’s hands and grinned, like an overexcited child. After putting on their coats and boots, Zoom all but burst through the door, his smile growing as he stared in wonder at the still falling snowflakes. “Thank you,” he said, again catching Vert by surprise.

“You’re welcome,” he replied, then walked up so he was at Zoom’s side. “Let’s go, shall we?”

They spent the entire afternoon out in the snow, and, even though they were both frozen when they finally returned, Vert didn’t mind. If anything, he struggled even more to understand why Zoom, the kind and spirited young man he’d grown so accustomed to having around, was wanted by the authorities.

***

This was stupid. He really shouldn’t be this nervous. It wasn’t even the first birthday they’d celebrated, since Stanford had had his about three months after their first mission.

But today was _Zoom’s_ birthday.

Thankfully, no stormshocks had appeared, so they’d had the whole day to celebrate at the garage. They hadn’t done anything too exciting – they all brought back pizzas from the diner and stayed in the games room. Clearly, they hadn’t been big on parties back at the Order, as Vert was pretty sure he’d never seen Zoom so excited about _anything_ before. He _definitely_ hadn’t acknowledged the warmth in his chest at how cute it was. After what felt like the hundredth round of Smash Bros (which Agura had thoroughly trounced everyone in), they’d given out presents, though Vert had just mumbled something about “giving it later”. Zoom, and the others, looked a little confused, but none of them called him out on it.

And now Vert had spent the past half hour pacing his room. There was no logical reason for him to be so anxious about it, especially enough to avoid giving it to Zoom in front of the others. But he knew he’d tried _so hard_ to get the best gift he could for Zoom, and if he didn’t like it, Vert was pretty sure he’d rather a total Sark invasion than deal with that. The last thing he wanted was to upset Zoom.

Screw it.

Vert stopped pacing and picked up Zoom’s present, which had been propped up against his bed, and headed out of his room and across the hall to Zoom’s room. He knocked on the door and then opened the door enough to just poke his head in, to see Zoom sitting on his bed, flipping over the cd Stanford had given him in his hands. “Hey, man,” Zoom said, and Vert, taking a deep breath, headed inside, hiding the present behind his back. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I,” Vert paused, before taking another deep breath and looking at anything in the room that wasn’t Zoom. “I remembered, you said a couple weeks ago, that even though you still don’t regret not going back to the Order–” His voice faltered for a second, as Zoom tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at him. “That you still missed it,” Vert continued, and stretched his arms out to offer the gift to Zoom. “So I got you this.”

Zoom, eyebrow still raised, got up and took the present out of Vert’s hands and opened it, eyes going wide as he was met with a bright orange and red skateboard.

“I know it’s not as cool as the rocketboards,” Vert said hurriedly, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I thought it might be the next best thing.”

For what felt like an eternity Zoom didn’t say anything; just stared at the board in his hands, and for every silent second that went by Vert was getting increasingly worried that he’d done the wrong thing.

Then, all of a sudden, Zoom was _beaming_. “Dude, it’s _awesome_!” he exclaimed. “Thanks!” He quickly set the skateboard down on the floor, before pulling Vert into a tight hug. Vert hugged him back, and tried to focus more on getting his heart rate back down to normal and not on how nice it was to have Zoom in his arms. When Zoom finally let him go, Zoom was still grinning, and Vert couldn’t help but grin back. Zoom then picked up the skateboard and left the room, and Vert could vaguely hear him running downstairs, and chuckled.

It was only when Vert had gone back to his own room that his brain finally registered that Zoom had kissed his cheek before he’d gone downstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated and deeply cherished!


	7. Seven

_Oregon, March 1983_

“You got any plans for spring break?” Vert asked. He was sitting on Zoom’s bed, idly playing around with a stray baseball he’d found, while Zoom was sat at his desk reading over his history assignment.

“Not that I know of,” Zoom said, turning in his chair and adjusting his glasses. “One of my brothers might come visit, but that’s all I know.” He paused, and Vert noticed he was fiddling with something in his hand. “What about you?”

“Nah,” Vert said. “We don’t usually do anything over spring break. We just have an extra long holiday over the summer.” A long silence hung in the air between them, before he added, “so I guess we can spend spring break together?”

He tried not to notice how Zoom’s face flushed as he looked back at his assignment, and that he could feel the heat creeping into his own cheeks. “I guess,” Zoom said softly, smiling as he carried on fiddling with whatever was in his hand and reading over his paper _again_.

Vert couldn’t help but laugh. “Dude, if you read that over any more times you’re gonna be seeing it in your sleep,” he said, shuffling to the edge of the bed so he was almost sitting next to Zoom.

“But I just want to make sure–” Zoom started, and Vert cut him off, because he knew as soon as Zoom started insisting that he needed to make sure his paper was perfect it would be all he’d be doing for the rest of the day.

“Zoom,” he said. “ _Relax_. You’ve gotten straight As in history the entire time you’ve been here. I’m sure it’s fine.”

Zoom let out a small huff, before turning back round to face Vert. “Okay,” he said. “So… what do you wanna do now?”

Vert dropped the baseball he’d been playing around with and looked at the clock by Zoom’s bed. “It’s only three, we could go get lunch somewhere?” Zoom nodded, and both of them stood up at the same time, bumping into each other slightly.

Vert immediately went to apologise, but as soon as he opened his mouth he finally noticed what Zoom had in his hand. “Is that the mistletoe I got you?” he asked softly. 

The blush on Zoom’s face spread so fast Vert was almost worried. “I, erm,” Zoom stammered, looking anywhere but Vert’s eyes. “Yeah, I just, uh-” He bit his lip in an effort to stop himself from talking anymore, and hurriedly went to put the mistletoe on his desk. Without even thinking Vert reached out to stop him, catching his hand before he even reached the desk.

As soon as their hands met, Vert was pretty sure his heart _stopped_ for a few seconds. All he could think about was their hands, clasped together with the mistletoe between their palms, and how _close_ they were. The feeling of Zoom’s breath ghosting his face ever so slightly made him snap his focus away from their hands to Zoom’s eyes, and he was vaguely aware of their fingers of their other hands brushing together. It felt _electric_ , and Vert honestly didn’t care whether he was even _breathing_. He just stared into Zoom’s wide, brown eyes, and when Zoom looked down at his lips, only for a split second, he knew he wasn’t going to get another chance.

Vert closed his eyes and leant forward. He had to restrain the sigh in his throat when his lips brushed Zoom’s, who, after initially freezing, kissed him back, soft lips sliding slowly over Vert’s. Vert felt _weightless_. He would have gladly spent the _rest of his goddamn life_ just standing there kissing Zoom, if it hadn’t had been for Zoom breaking the kiss so quickly, ducking his head as he started giggling softly.

Vert couldn’t help but laugh too. “You okay there?” he asked quietly, intertwining their fingers properly.

“Yeah,” Zoom whispered. He managed to compose himself, and rested his forehead gently against Vert’s. “Yeah, I’m okay. Very okay. Better than okay.”

“Me too.” Vert didn’t try to fight the grin that spread across his face, especially when Zoom’s face all but lit up when he smiled back.

“Does this mean lunch is a date now?” Zoom asked.

Vert chuckled. “Do you want it to be?” When Zoom gently nodded his head, he said “then it’s a date.” Zoom closed his eyes and started to laugh again, and Vert leaned back in for another quick kiss, two kisses, before they both put the mistletoe back on the desk and left Zoom’s room, fingers still intertwined.

***

It had been a _long_ night. Having to split the team in order to deal with both Hatch’s time freezing device _and_ a Vandal invasion in the middle of the night had been _exhausting_. So as soon as they’d driven the Vandals back into the battle zone and _finally_ managed to seal the portal, everyone had immediately dispersed to their rooms on return to the garage. Vert was so tired he hadn’t even bothered changing into his pyjamas after taking off his battle suit, collapsing on his bed still in his jeans and t-shirt and pretty sure he was going to sleep through most of the morning, if not through the afternoon.

But, of course, it wasn’t that easy. Stealth was what they had needed to take out Hatch’s device, so he’d needed to take Zoom with him. But that didn’t change the fact that being in a battle zone alone with him, and having to stick close together as they navigated the tight passageways to avoid being noticed, had been _difficult_. He’d had to physically restrain himself from running to Zoom and kissing him after he’d snuck off to take out two Vandal guards on his own. Vert was surprised Zoom hadn’t called him out on his weird behaviour.

And now, at half past three in the morning, Vert was still wide awake and unable to think about anything other than just how desperately in love with Zoom he was and how badly he wanted to tell him. He _knew_ he should have told Zoom already, but every time he tried either someone else would walk in or he would meet Zoom’s eyes and he just _couldn’t_.

He was both surprised by and grateful for the knock on his door. Vert grumbled, and slowly pushed himself up from the face-down position he’d been lying in and went to unlock the door. When he opened it, he felt his stomach _drop_.

“Hey,” Zoom said quietly. He was wearing basketball shorts and an oversized shirt, and, Vert realised, wasn’t wearing his headband.

“Hey,” Vert said, letting Zoom in. “Everything okay?”

“I actually came to ask you the same thing,” Zoom said quietly. He rocked back and forth on his feet slightly and bit his lip. Vert’s mouth went dry. “Is everything okay, man?”

“Yeah, why?” Vert _prayed_ that Zoom didn’t pick up on the waver in his voice.

“It’s just that,” Zoom paused, and stopped rocking on his feet. “You were acting all strange in the battle zone tonight, and you have been for the past couple weeks. You sure everything’s okay?”

_Fuck_.

“Yeah, uh, everything’s fine.” Vert averted his gaze and desperately tried to fight the blush spreading across his face.

Despite it, Zoom approached him, tilted his head slightly and _grinned_. “Look, I know I said patience was a virtue of mine, but you’re _really_ starting to push it, dude,” he said, his voice giving way to that mischievous lilt that Vert knew so well.

“What’s that suppo–” Vert didn’t have time to finish his question, as Zoom took his face in both hands and brought their lips together.

It was as if everything just _stopped_. All Vert could think about was Zoom’s lips on his and that his cheeks are on _fire_ , and that he _just can’t move_. It’s only when Zoom began to pull away that his brain finally remembered how to get him to move, and pulled Zoom back in, one hand on his hip and the other cupping the Zoom’s face. Zoom made a small noise at the back of his throat, before standing on his toes and deepening the kiss, letting his hands slide back from Vert’s face so that his arms were looped around Vert’s neck, and it’s _everything_ Vert had wanted.

And he _revelled_ in how _different_ it was.

Part of why he’d been so afraid to confess, Vert realised, was that, despite knowing how he felt about _Zoom_ , he didn’t want it to be like last time. It wouldn’t be fair, it wouldn’t be _right_.

But it _wasn’t_ the same. It was exciting and exhilarating and _new_. And something, whispering in the back of Vert’s mind, tells him that _this_ is what they’ve been hurtling towards over all these years, these centuries.

They finally pulled apart, both breathless, after what Vert could honestly believe had been _hours_ , and Zoom sank back on his feet. When Vert opened his eyes, the sight of Zoom looking back up him with such an incredibly soft expression was enough to almost make him _cry_. He instead settled for gently stroking his thumb across Zoom’s cheek, and Zoom leant into the touch, not breaking eye contact as his face gave way to slight confusion.

“What is it?” he asked, voice hushed.

Instead of everything he wanted to say, why he’d been so afraid in the first place, and just how _in love_ with him he was, Vert let out a quiet laugh, and said softly, “I’ve wanted to do that for months.”

Zoom grinned so wide his eyes crinkled at the corners. “Same,” he said, before reaching back up to kiss the tip of Vert’s nose. Vert wrinkled his nose and laughed, before pressing their foreheads together as Zoom started threading his fingers through his hair. “You can do it again, if you want,” Zoom added, mischief glinting in his eyes.

Vert chuckled, before leaning in to kiss Zoom again, and he knew that, in this lifetime, the one that _mattered_ , he has _never_ been this happy.

And he’s never letting Zoom go again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are muchly loved! <3


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